For the fifth consecutive year, a national group ranked Florida as the top state in education freedom.
The Heritage Foundation, a national think tank, named the Sunshine State No. 1 overall in its annual Education Freedom Report Card, which ranks states on a variety of metrics, including active education choice programs, academic transparency, teacher freedom, the return on investment of the state’s education spending, and civics education.
Finishing behind Florida were Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, and Iowa, jumping 34 spots in civics over last year.
"In the backdrop of the Trump administration working to wind down the U.S. Department of Education, states like Florida and Iowa have met the moment by reclaiming more education responsibilities, which our nation's founders always intended, and providing families with more education choice,” Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts said in a news release. “More states need to provide families with K-12 education savings account programs that allow them to choose learning environments that align with their values and work best for their children."
During the 2024–25 school year, 53% of all Florida’s K–12 students — 1,889,532 children — attended a public, private, or home education option of their parents’ or guardians’ choice. Just one year after crossing the 50% threshold for the first time, Florida’s school choice participation grew by nearly 100,000 additional students.
To see the Heritage Foundation’s full report, go here.
